Cycle saddle and method of forming same

ABSTRACT

A cycle saddle is disclosed which includes a frame and a plastic cover mounted on top of the frame, with a foam cushion being provided between the cover and the frame. There is disclosed means for securing the cover which includes integrally fused portions of the cover extending through the apertures in the frame to anchor the cover onto the frame. A method is disclosed for producing the cycle saddle which includes the steps of providing a cover provided with a depending skirt having a substantially smooth inner surface portion and provided with a flange integrally attached to said depending skirt at the lower edge thereof having a substantially smooth surface opposing the inner surface portion of the skirt and defining with the inner surface portion an upwardly extending groove, placing the cover on the frame with the depending skirt portions of the frame extending into the groove and with the apertures being disposed in the groove between the inner surface of the flange and the inner surface portion of the skirt, relatively moving the inner surface of the flange and the inner surface portion of the skirt into adjacency through the apertures, and applying ultrasonic means to the skirt and the flange adjacent the apertures for causing portions of the skirt portions and the flange to fuse into integrally fused portions extending through the apertures to anchor the cover onto the frame.

United States Patent [1 1 Worley CYCLE SADDLE AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME[75] Inventor: George W. Worley, Bolivar, Tenn.

[73] Troxel Manufacturing Company,

Moscow, Tenn.

Filed: Nov. 24, 1972 Appl. No.: 309,454

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 219,077, Jan. 19,1972, Pat. No. 3,756,653.

Assignee:

[56 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1969 Dijkers etal. 156/735/1964 Kalter 297/214 7/1964 Kauffeld 156/257 Primary Examiner-Daniel.I. Hit sch Assistant Examiner-Neal Kalishman Attorney, Agent, orFirm-John R. Walker, 111

[ Apr. 30, 1974 ABSTRACT A cycle saddle is disclosed which includes aframe and a plastic cover mounted on top of the frame, with a foamcushion being provided between the cover and the frame. There isdisclosed means for securing the cover which includes integrally fusedportions of the cover extending through the apertures in the frame toanchor the cover onto the frame. A method is disclosed for producing thecycle saddle which includes the steps of providing a cover provided witha depending skirt having a substantially smooth inner surface portionand provided with a flange integrally attached to said depending skirtat the lower edge thereof having a substantially smooth surface opposingthe inner surface portion of the skirt and defining with the innersurface portion an upwardly extending groove, placing the cover on theframe with the depending skirt portions of the frame extending into thegroove and with the apertures being disposed in the groove between theinner surface of the flange and the inner surface portion of the skirt,relatively moving the' inner surface of the flange and the inner surfaceportion of the skirt into adjacency through the apertures, and applyingultrasonic means to the skirt and the flange adjacent the apertures forcausing portions of the skirt portions and the flange to fuse intointegrally fused portions extending through the apertures to anchor thecover onto the frame.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 30 I974 FIG. 6'

FIG.

FIG. 3

FIG. 5

I CYCLE SADDLE AND METHOD or FORMING SAME CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATEDAPPLICATIONS This application is a division of my co-pending applicationSer. No. 219,077, filed Jan. 19, 1972, entitled BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a cyclesaddle of the type to be used on bicycles, tricycles, or the like, andto the method of forming the saddle.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the assembly of cycle saddles havingplastic-covers, there have heretofore been several methods of retainingthe plastic cover on the metal frame of the cycle saddle. For example,the plastic cover shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,969 owned by the assigneeof the present invention, shows means for attaching the cover to theframe by providing a channel on the frame to grip a bead on the loweredge of the cover to hold the cover in place.

Another example of means for holding a unitary plasv tic cover for abicycle saddle on the bicycle frame is A further object is to providesuch a saddle and method for forming same which is easy to assemble,

' economical to manufacture and which securely holds shown in MesingerU.S. Pat. No. 3,077,363. In this patent, the top covering is resilientand is assembled by forcing it onto the frame and held thereon by theweb portions which extend across the nose and rearward corner portionsof the saddle cover beneath the portions of the frame. l

" ln U.S. Pat. No. 3,146,024, owned by the assignee of the-presentinvention, there is shown a plastic pad secured by means of projectionsextending through apertures in the saddle frame and which projectionsare heated with a hot iron or the. like to flatten the endsof theprojections and establish heads for holding the cover in place. v

ln U.S. Pat. No. 3,588,171, also owned by the assignee of the presentinvention, there are shown plastic lugs provided on the saddle coverwhich extend through apertures in the frame and are secured therein byheating the ends to provide heads on the lugs. In a modified embodiment,there is securing means including a plurality of bendable spaced tabsprojecting inwardly and downwardly from the skirt portions of theSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed towardsovercoming the heretoforementioned and other disadvantages in previouscycle saddles and methods of forming same. Thus, one of the objects ofthe present invention is to provide improved means for securely holdingthe cover of the cycle saddle onto the frame without the necessity ofprojections, tabs, rivets, webs orthe like.

the saddle cover onto the frame.

The concept of the present invention is to provide a cycle saddleincluding a plastic cover having a depending skirt and and inner flange,apertures provided through the frame spaced below the distaledge of theflange, and the skirt and flange including integrally fused portionsextending through the apertures in the frame to anchor the cover ontothe frame.

In addition, flap means are provided for preventing the seat cover frombecoming disengaged from the frame particularly when the integrallyfused portions are not utilized on the flap means.

The method of the present invention includes, in general, a method ofproviding the above-mentioned cycle saddle and comprises the steps ofproviding the frame with depending skirt portions having a plurality ofapertures therethrough, providing a plastic cover provided with adepending dkirt having a substantially smooth inner surface portion andprovided with a flange integrally attached to said depending skirt atthe lower edge thereof having a substantially smooth surface opposingsaid inner portion surface of said skirt and defining with said innersurface portion an upwardly extending groove, placing said cover on saidframe with said depending skirt portions of said frame extending intosaid groove and with said apertures being disposed in said groovebetween said inner surface of said flange and said inner surface portionof said skirt, relatively moving said inner surface of said flange andsaid inner surface portion of said skirt into adjacency through saidapertures, and applying high frequency means to said skirt and saidflange adjacent said apertures for causing portions of said skirt andsaid flange to fuse into integrally fusedportions extending through saidapertures to anchor said cover onto said frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is anexploded perspective viewshowing the three parts of the cycle saddle of the present inventionbefore assembly.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the cycle saddle after assembly.

example of the outside configuration of the fused portion of the cover.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line VI-VI ofFIG. 2.

, DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The saddle ll of the presentinvention comprises, in

general, aframe 13, preferably formed of a single piece of sheet metalby cutting and stamping operations, a

unitary cover 15, formed of plastic, preferably vinyl,

and, if desired, a cushion 17 disposed on top of frame 13 and betweenthe frame and the cover 15. The top 19 of frame 13 is of any desiredshape, as viewed from above, depending upon the type of saddle and isprovided with integrally formed downwardly bent skirt portions 21terminating in a lower edge 23.

Cover 15 is preferably formed by injection molding in the shape as bestseen in FIGS. 1 and 2, although other shapes may be provided dependingon the particular style or type of cycle saddle, without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the present invention. Cover 15 includes a top25 similar in shape to top 19 of frame 13 and a skirt 27 is integrallyformed with top 25 and depends therefrom around the outer edges of thetop. The skirt 27 conforms in shape generally to the skirt portion 21 offrame 13 although skirt 27 is preferably somewhat longer than skirtportions 21 so that when the frame 13 and cover 15 are in an assembledrelationship, there is a space between tops 19 and 25 to accomodatecushion 17. In addition, cover 15 is provided with an inner flange 29integrally attached to skirt 27 at the lower edge thereof and extendingupwardly therefrom terminating in a distal edge 31 to provide anupwardly extending groove 33 defined by the inner surface 35 of flange29 and the inner surface 37 of an opposite portion 39 of skirt 27. Innersurfaces 35 and 37 are smooth, that is, they are not provided with anyprojections such as plastic lugs or the like, heretofore found in someof the prior art. As best seen in FIG. 2, flange 29 on the oppositesides of the saddle is preferably extended inwardly towards each otherto form flaps 41, 43.

In the assembled relationship of frame 13, cover 15 and cushion 17, thecover 15 is placed over frame 13 with skirt portions 21 of frame 13being disposed in groove 33 and with cushion 17 being disposed betweentops 19, 25.

Frame 13 is provided with a plurality of apertures 45 therethroughadjacent lower edge 23 and spaced below distal edge 31 of flange 29.Apertures 45 are preferably disposed through skirt portions 21, asfollows: A pair of the apertures 45 are preferably provided on eitherside of the longitudinal centerline of the cycle saddle in the rearwardpart of the skirt portions 21, and other apertures 45 are preferablyprovided respectively on oppo site sides of skirt portions 21 adjacentflaps 41, 43. The location of these apertures can best be seen byreference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Also, there is provided in frame 13 a pairof air holes 47 adjacent a midportion of the top 19. In addition, thereare provided threaded studs 49 fixedly attached to the underside of top19 and depending therefrom for the purpose of attaching cycle saddle 11to the supporting structure, not shown, of the cycle saddle.

In the anchoring of cover 15 to frame 13, the inner surfaces 35, 37 aremoved into adjacency through the apertures 45 and are fused intointegrally fused portions 51 extending through apertures 45 to anchorthe cover onto the frame. The high frequency means is preferablysuitable ultrasonic means above the radio frequency range, although itis not intended to exclude radio frequency or dielectric fusing means.The ultrasonic means include an ultrasonic generator which isschematically depicted as at 53 in FlG. 4 with the output of theultrasonic generator 53 being coupled to a tool 55 by suitable meansshown diagrammatically as at 57. The ultrasonic generator 53 andconducting means 57 are of suitable construction well known to thoseskilled in the art for generating ultrasonic waves of a higher frequencythan radio frequency and conducting same to tool 55. Tool is of aconducting material for the ultrasonic waves and is preferably, thoughnot necessarily, cylindrical in shape and has an end configuration 59for contacting cover 15 to form the desired outer configuration of thefused portion 51.,ln the example given, the end configuration 59 isconcave so that when the plastic is fused, the outer configuration ofthe fused portion 51 is in the form of a rivet head 61. There is acorresponding inner tool part 63 which is formed of a suitablenon-conducting or insulating material and which has an end configuration65 which is complementary to end configuration 59. Thus, endconfiguration 65 is concave and adapted to mate with end configuration59 with the material of skirt portion 21 therebetween. The diameter orcross sectional size of ends 59 and 65 are respectively less than thediameter of size of apertures 45. To fuse the plastic, the tool parts55, 63 are lined up on either side of skirt portions 21 successively andin alignment with each one of the apertures 45. Then, the tool part 55and/or 63 are moved inwardly relative to each other to move the surfaces35, 37 into adjacency. Withthe parts so held, the ultrasonic generator53 is activated to apply ultrasonic waves to skirt 27 and flange 29adjacent an aperture 45 for causing portions of the skirt and flange tofuse into an integrally fused portion 51 extending through an aperture45. It will be understood that this step is repeated at each of theapertures 45 to anchor cover 15 onto frame 13.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a unique and inexpensivemeans for anchoring a saddle cover onto the frame of the saddle isprovided which is economical and easy to manufacture, yet is veryeffective.

It should be pointed out that in some cases it may be desirable to omitthe fusing heretofore described, in which case the flaps 41, 43 becomeincreasingly important. Thus, the flaps 41, 43 prevent the seat cover 15from becoming disengaged from frame 13, particularly when the fusing isomitted from the flaps. In other words, if flaps 41, 43 were not there,the weight of the rider pushing downwardly on the skirt 27 on oppositesides of the saddle would cause the flange 29 of the cover 15 to becomedisengaged in these areas.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respectto a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is notto be so limited since changes and modifications may be made thereinwhich are within the full intended scope of this invention.

l claim:

1. The method of producing a cycle saddle having a frame provided withdepending skirt portions having a plurality of apertures therethrough,comprising the steps of providing a plastic cover provided with adepending skirt having a substantially smooth inner surface portion andprovided with a flange integrally attached to said depending skirt atthe lower edge thereof having a substantially smooth surface opposingsaid inner surface portion of said skirt and defining with said innersurface portion an upwardly extending groove, placing said cover on saidframe with said depending skirt portions of said frame extending intosaid groove and with said apertures being disposed in said groovebetween said inner surface of said flange and said inner surface portionof said skirt, relatively moving said inner surface of said flange andsaid inner surface porquency means comprises ultrasonic means.

3. The method of claim 1 which includes providing said inner flangeswith a pair of flaps extending generally inwardly towards one another,and providing at least one of said fused portions adjacent each of saidflaps.

1. The method of producing a cycle saddle having a frame provided withdepending skirt portions having a plurality of apertures therethrough,comprising the steps of providing a plastic cover provided with adepending skirt having a substantially smooth inner surface portion andprovided with a flange integrally attached to said depending skirt atthe lower edge thereof having a substantially smooth surface opposingsaid inner surface portion of said skirt and defining with said innersurface portion an upwardly extending groove, placing said cover on saidframe with said depending skirt portions of said frame extending intosaid groove and with said apertures being disposed in said groovebetween said inner surface of said flange and said inner surface portionof said skirt, relatively moving said inner surface of said flange andsaid inner surface portion of said skirt into adjacency through saidapertures, and applying high frequency means to said skirt and saidflange adjacent said apertures for causing portions of said skirt andsaid flange to fuse into integrally fused portions extending throughsaid apertures to anchor said cover onto said frame.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 in which said high frequency means comprises ultrasonic means.3. The method of claim 1 which includes providing said inner flangeswith a pair of flaps extending generally inwardly towards one another,and providing at least one of said fused portions adjacent each of saidflaps.